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nautilus
Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!
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 Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 10:48 pm Post subject: Would you quit over a beard? |
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So, I am only weeks away from finishing up at my public school. Everything has gone dandy until recently when the headmaster basically told me to shave my beard. Apparently some children were "scared" and some mothers had made remarks.
I replied that as i'd had the beard for 3 months already, why hadn't he told me at the start. I didn't like his dictatorial tone.
Anyhow..after thinking it over, I have shaved it away. I feel raped. I did explain afterwards that its not in the contract to demand no beard, and that the perceptions about beards here were silly .
However, i've done 11 months here and although I was really ready to quit over this, I held back. , I'm only a few weeks away from my final paycheck.
Anyhow, so has anyone here quit over being told to shave their beard/moustache? I think an employer doesn't really have the right to dictate this. However a beard takes only 2 weeks to make, a 5 Million won final paycheck takes 5 months.
Last edited by nautilus on Mon Mar 19, 2007 11:03 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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Ekuboko
Joined: 22 Dec 2004
Location: ex-Gyeonggi
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| Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 10:51 pm Post subject: |
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| No. Stick it out. You'll lose out on the extra month's pay as severance if you quit. |
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passport220
Joined: 14 Jun 2006
Location: Gyeongsangbuk-do province
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| Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 10:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Yeah, I think it is out of line for him to ask you in the first place. However, at this point you shaved it. You took the high road to solve his problem. Laugh it off, finish up, collect your money and move on. |
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ED209
Joined: 17 Oct 2006
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| Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 11:03 pm Post subject: |
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Depends did you look like this?
Don't forget to shave of those sideburns.
Should have gone further and shaved your head.
Wearing shorts, sandals and a vest is also a human right.
Get the man of your back
Damn I'm going to get some piercings.
| Quote: |
| Apparently some children were "scared" and some mothers had made remarks. |
Are you a woman? Then it is scary. |
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nautilus
Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!
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| Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 11:13 pm Post subject: |
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No... it was neat and trim.
Its difficult to find even one man in korea with a beard. Apparently beards are associated with criminals in their minds.
But should an employer be able to say wether or not his employees have a beard? I think not. When I said so, him and the supervisor looked at me as if the concept of having a right to a beard was equivalent to 4 legged amoebas on mars. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 11:16 pm Post subject: Re: Would you quit over a beard? |
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| nautilus wrote: |
So, I am only weeks away from finishing up at my public school. Everything has gone dandy until recently when the headmaster basically told me to shave my beard. Apparently some children were "scared" and some mothers had made remarks.
I replied that as i'd had the beard for 3 months already, why hadn't he told me at the start. I didn't like his dictatorial tone.
Anyhow..after thinking it over, I have shaved it away. I feel raped. I did explain afterwards that its not in the contract to demand no beard, and that the perceptions about beards here were silly .
However, i've done 11 months here and although I was really ready to quit over this, I held back. , I'm only a few weeks away from my final paycheck.
Anyhow, so has anyone here quit over being told to shave their beard/moustache? I think an employer doesn't really have the right to dictate this. However a beard takes only 2 weeks to make, a 5 Million won final paycheck takes 5 months. |
Why would you quit or shave?
I fail to see the problem here. You stated he "basically told me". Could you clarify that?
Unless he told you to shave the beard or be fired I don't see what the problem is.
Couldn't you have said "Well, they'll just have to get used to it, won't they?"
If you work at a public school, it's not like they have a choice to attend. |
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mrsquirrel
Joined: 13 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 11:24 pm Post subject: |
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I have a hairy bit at the top of my chest bottom of my neck that I forgot makes Korean kids laugh.
I may have to wear a tie to cover it up. |
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butlerian
Joined: 04 Sep 2006
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 11:34 pm Post subject: |
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| nautilus wrote: |
No... it was neat and trim.
Its difficult to find even one man in korea with a beard. Apparently beards are associated with criminals in their minds.
But should an employer be able to say wether or not his employees have a beard? I think not. When I said so, him and the supervisor looked at me as if the concept of having a right to a beard was equivalent to 4 legged amoebas on mars. |
I'm surprised you got as far as you did. As soon as I start to get any stubble I have Korean teachers asking why I haven't shaved. The kids comment on this also. |
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manlyboy
Joined: 01 Aug 2004
Location: Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
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| Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 11:38 pm Post subject: |
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| If the contract was almost up, I'd shave it. If it was at the beginning though, I'd start rocking the boat a bit - just to let them know that the pet foreigner won't always roll over on command. |
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jajdude
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 11:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Funny stuff. Koreans aren't the hairiest bunch are they? How many men here could even grow a beard? |
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gsxr750r
Joined: 29 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 11:47 pm Post subject: |
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Dude, just shave it and forget about it. I know it's a little uncomfortable to be "told" what you should do concerning subject areas that aren't usually a problem back home, but this is Korea. Many Koreans grow up learning that people with beards should not be trusted, etc... it's crazy stereotype, but definitely one that's alive and well.
It's all part of living in another culture. Some things aren't worth fighting over. |
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ED209
Joined: 17 Oct 2006
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| Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 12:08 am Post subject: |
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I vote for the beard.
If beards upset them that much then they should mention it under personal appearance in the contract. It seems you are more upset at there approach than at their request. Having demands thrown at you and expecting you to except them without question is the Korean way. However speaking English isn't very Korean either so why change. For now why not put pictures up of great beard wearers.
Here are some just for fun
 |
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gypsyfish
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 12:24 am Post subject: Re: Would you quit over a beard? |
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| nautilus wrote: |
| ... I feel raped. ... |
Hyperbole alert!
That said, I think, with as little time as you have left and as much to lose, you did the right thing. I would have argued about it and finally caved.
I'm old, though, and my beard affords me more respect, I think. I've never had complaints, even when I taught kids in Taiwan. |
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nautilus
Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!
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| Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 12:34 am Post subject: |
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| manlyboy wrote: |
| If the contract was almost up, I'd shave it. If it was at the beginning though, I'd start rocking the boat a bit - just to let them know that the pet foreigner won't always roll over on command. |
To be honest I feel a bit ashamed that I wimped out on it. However I'm right at the end and it just didn't seem worth the cr*p of insisting on it at this stage.
What could happen? I don't know but the argument about it was strong, with both of them not even understanding my english about why I have a right. They just didn't get it, it seems like the concept of a teacher having a beard was a totally alien idea. I could actually, picture the guy actually firing me for defiance ( headache of a court case to get my money etc ahead). Or he'd make all sorts of problems about paying at the end. True, there are no other men at the school with a beard and I haven't seen any at the neighbouring schools with one. But the principle is that a beard does not prevent me from doing my job, so it should be allowed to stay.
I've had it for about 3 months. At first he made some comments in Korean about it which I simply nodded and ignored. Then he got the supervisor to tell me he didn't like it. Then finally yesterday he walks in and demands me to shave it. Its hard to even explain why to them as they don't understand English much.
Maybe I'll grow it back and hand him a properly translated letter about why. Hmm. Have any of you had similar cases? *Definitely* I will stipulate ain the next job interview, if there is one, that I will only work somewhere that allows me to have a beard. Its akin to demanding a woman doesn't wear a make-up because she looks like a *beep*.
Here is a case about it:
http://www.venable.com/publications.cfm?action=view§ion=newsletters&publication_id=725&publication_type_id=1&practice_id=
"For the second time in less than a year, Domino's no-beard policy has been ruled discriminatory. In the recent case of Bradley v. Pizzaco of Nebraska, d/b/a Domino's Pizza, 1993 WL 417845 (8th Cir. 1993), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit held that Domino's failed to prove that a business justification existed for its no-beard policy." |
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hubba bubba
Joined: 24 Oct 2006
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| Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 12:44 am Post subject: |
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| ...hub of asia... |
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